Adaptation in a Changing Climate and Its Impact on National Security

Originally aired June 21, 2011

The first session in the Adaptations to Protect Security in a Changing Climate series provides an overview of how climate change is affecting — and projected to affect — society, and how adaptation can help us respond. Panelists share work spanning food and water supply, physical infrastructure, public health systems, and economic vitality, exploring how the science of climate impacts translates into on-the-ground adaptation strategies at regional and local scales.

Speakers

Eileen Shea (Moderator)

Director, Integrated Data and Environmental Applications Center, NOAA

Eileen Shea is the Director of NOAA’s Integrated Data and Environmental Applications Center, where she leads efforts to connect climate data and science to the practical needs of decision-makers in government, business, and communities. Her work focuses on making NOAA’s vast environmental information resources accessible, usable, and actionable for those planning and adapting to climate change.

Dr. Lynne Carter

Associate Director, Southern Climate Impacts Planning Program (SCIPP); Associate Director, Coastal Sustainability Studio, LSU

Dr. Lynne Carter is Associate Director and Program Manager of the Southern Climate Impacts Planning Program (SCIPP), a stakeholder-driven initiative focusing on climate information and adaptation in the south-central United States — including Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Tennessee. She is also Associate Director for the Coastal Sustainability Studio at Louisiana State University, where she works at the intersection of climate science and coastal resilience planning.

Missy Stults

Climate Programs Director, ICLEI USA

Missy Stults serves as Climate Programs Director for ICLEI USA, where she works with local governments throughout the country to help them identify strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and building local resilience to climate change. Her work bridges climate science and municipal practice, helping cities develop and implement adaptation plans that are both scientifically grounded and locally responsive.

Rowan Douglas

CEO, Global Analytics, Willis Re; Chairman, Willis Research Network

Rowan Douglas leads the analytics team at Willis Re and chairs the Willis Research Network, driving the company’s approach to risk modeling, risk management, and reinsurance transactions. In 2008, he was appointed by the UK Science Minister to the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). His work connects climate science and catastrophe modeling to financial risk — helping insurers, governments, and businesses understand and price the growing costs of climate-related hazards.